7 USC 3103 - Definitions

When used in this chapter:

(1) The term "Advisory Board" means the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

(2) The term "agricultural research" means research in the food and agricultural sciences.

(3) The term "aquaculture" means the propagation and rearing of aquacultural species, including, but not limited to, any species of finfish, mollusk, or crustacean (or other aquatic invertebrate), amphibian, reptile, ornamental fish, or aquatic plant, in controlled or selected environments.

(4) College and university.—

(A) In general.—The terms "college" and "university" mean an educational institution in any State which (i) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate, (ii) is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary education, (iii) provides an educational program for which a bachelor's degree or any other higher degree is awarded, (iv) is a public or other nonprofit institution, and (v) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.

(B) Inclusions.—The terms "college" and "university" include a research foundation maintained by a college or university described in subparagraph (A).

(5) The term "cooperating forestry schools" means those institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.), commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962.

(6) The term "cooperative extension services" means the organizations established at the land-grant colleges and universities under the Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914 (38 Stat. 372–374, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 341–349), and section 209(b) of the Act of October 26, 1974 (88 Stat. 1428, as amended; D.C. Code, sec. 31–1719(b)).

(7) The term "Department of Agriculture" means the United States Department of Agriculture.

(8) The term "extension" means the informal education programs conducted in the States in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture.

(9) Food and agricultural sciences.—The term "food and agricultural sciences" means basic, applied, and developmental research, extension, and teaching activities in food and fiber, agricultural, renewable energy and natural resources, forestry, and physical and social sciences, including activities relating to the following:

(A) Animal health, production, and well-being.

(B) Plant health and production.

(D) Aquaculture.

(E) Food safety.

(F) Soil, water, and related resource conservation and improvement.

(G) Forestry, horticulture, and range management.

(H) Nutritional sciences and promotion.

(I) Farm enhancement, including financial management, input efficiency, and profitability.

(J) Home economics.

(K) Rural human ecology.

(L) Youth development and agricultural education, including 4–H clubs.

(M) Expansion of domestic and international markets for agricultural commodities and products, including agricultural trade barrier identification and analysis.

(N) Information management and technology transfer related to agriculture.

(O) Biotechnology related to agriculture.

(P) The processing, distributing, marketing, and utilization of food and agricultural products.

(10) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities.—

(A) In general.—The term "Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities" means colleges or universities that—

(i) qualify as Hispanic-serving institutions; and

(ii) offer associate, bachelors, or other accredited degree programs in agriculture-related fields.

(B) Exception.—The term "Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities" does not include 1862 institutions (as defined in section 7601 of this title).

(11) Hispanic-serving institution.—The term "Hispanic-serving institution" has the meaning given the term in section 1101a of title 20.

(12) Insular area.—The term "insular area" means—

(A) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico;

(B) Guam;

(D) the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;

(E) the Federated States of Micronesia;

(F) the Republic of the Marshall Islands;

(G) the Republic of Palau; and

(H) the Virgin Islands of the United States.

(13) The term "land-grant colleges and universities" means those institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 (12 Stat. 503–505, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 301–305, 307 and 308), or the Act of August 30, 1890 (26 Stat. 417–419, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 321–326 and 328), including Tuskegee University.

(14) NLGCA institution; non-land-grant college of agriculture.—

(A) In general.—The terms "NLGCA Institution" and "non-land-grant college of agriculture" mean a public college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agriculture or forestry.

(B) Exclusions.—The terms "NLGCA Institution" and "non-land-grant college of agriculture" do not include—

(i) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities; or

(ii) any institution designated under—

(I) the Act of July 2, 1862 (commonly known as the "First Morrill Act"; 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.);

(II) the Act of August 30, 1890 (commonly known as the "Second Morrill Act") (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.);

(III) the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (Public Law 103–382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note); or

(IV) Public Law 87–788 (commonly known as the "McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act") (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.).

(15) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture of the United States.

(16) State.—The term "State" means—

(A) a State;

(B) the District of Columbia; and

(17) The term "State agricultural experiment stations" means those institutions eligible to receive funds under the Act of March 2, 1887 (24 Stat. 440–442, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 361a–361i).

(18) The term "State cooperative institutions" or "State cooperative agents" means institutions or agents designated by—

(A) the Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), commonly known as the First Morrill Act;

(B) the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), commonly known as the Second Morrill Act, including Tuskegee University;

(D) the Act of May 8, 1914 (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), commonly known as the Smith-Lever Act;

(E) the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.), commonly known as the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962; and

(F) subchapters V, VI, XI, and XII of this chapter.

(19) The term "sustainable agriculture" means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long-term—

(A) satisfy human food and fiber needs;

(B) enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agriculture economy depends;

(C) make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;

(D) sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and

(E) enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.

(20) Teaching and education.—The terms "teaching" and "education" mean formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience in the food and agricultural sciences and matters relating thereto (such as faculty development, student recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and innovative teaching methodologies) conducted by colleges and universities offering baccalaureate or higher degrees.

(Pub. L. 95–113, title XIV, §1404, Sept. 29, 1977, 91 Stat. 983; Pub. L. 97–98, title XIV, §1404, Dec. 22, 1981, 95 Stat. 1297; Pub. L. 99–198, title XIV, §1403, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1544; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVI, §1603, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3705; Pub. L. 102–237, title IV, §402(3), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1863; Pub. L. 104–127, title VIII, §§802(b)(1), 815(b), 820(a), 853(b)(1), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1159, 1167, 1168, 1172; Pub. L. 105–185, title II, §§221, 226(c)(1), June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 537, 543; Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, §7502(a), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 463; Pub. L. 110–234, title VII, §7101(a), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1212; Pub. L. 110–246, §4(a), title VII, §7101(a), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1973.)

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Last modified: October 26, 2015